The Trouble With Edward
by YukitoK
Summary: Ed’s fallen ill, and Spike gets to take care of her. It's not angsty or anything. A little swearing. Mainly just a charater development thing. A nice read.
1. Where's Ed?

Title: The Trouble with Edward

Author: Yukito

Rated: PG-some swearing

Summary: Ed's fallen ill. Good luck keeping her in bed Spike! Not a lemon or weird paring of any kind. Normal BeBop fic…as normal as that crew can be I guess.

Spoilers: none

Disclaimer: Don't own these characters don't make money off of them. Also I'm a new Bebopper so be kind please, thank you

Chapter 1: Where is Ed?

It was quiet on the BeBop. The brownish-grey ship lounged its way toward Mars. They were out of fuel again and all they could do was float. 

Faye was watching TV idly and she looked bored out of her mind.

Spike lit a cigarette and reclined on the yellow couch, his lanky legs stretched out on the table next to Ed's laptop. He took a drag on his cig and glanced over his shoulder. "I wonder where Monkey Girl is?" he drawled.

Faye's eyes flicked up to him then back to the screen, "Dunno."

"Breakfast!" Jet called cheerily and Spike and Faye groaned The tall man came in with four bowls of goop and Ein's bowl.

Spike took a sniff and recoiled, "You tryin' to kill us, or just poison us into submission?"

"It's food ain't it? Besides, it's nutritional. Where's Ed and Ein?"

Faye held her nose and took a bite, "If you're both so worried, why don't you go look for her?"

"I'll do it," Spike stood up on his stilt like legs, "I'm suddenly not hungry anyway." He took Ed's bowl from Jet. He looked at it's contents in distaste, "She'd eat nuclear waste if you poured a little milk on it."

******

The corridors were quiet and Spike's blue shoes made a slight clank on the metal floor.

"Ed, it's time for breakfast!" he yelled. No answer.

"huh, weird." He went looking for Ed's room. Did she even have a room? Not that he knew of.

"Yap," said Ein from behind him. Spike nearly jumped out of his skin and dropped the bowl, it broke with a crash, spilling Jet's goop everywhere.

"Great," he mumbled.

Ein sniffed it and backed up with a whine of pain as it assaulted his sensitive nose.

Spike smirked, "Smart dog. Jet says it's nutritional, but I wouldn't eat it."

"Yap," Ein said again.

Spike eased down on his laurels to look the dog in the face, "I don't speak dog Ein."

"Yap,yap,yap," the welsh corgi turned and dashed off.

Spike blinked after him, "Okay great," he slouched off in the direction Ein had gone, "I'm following' a dog." 


	2. spots spots pokka dots

Thank you for reading on! You are very kind. I'm glad you're giving this fic a chance. It's not dramatic or anything really, but it's pretty nice anyway. I'm not a big Faye fan, so sorry if you like her. I don't bash her per-se but I think I'm true to her character.

Chapter 2: "Spots, Spots, Pokka dots."

Ein stopped in front of Spike's own door.

"YAP!" If you haven't already guessed, 'yap' means 'Ed' in Dog speak. Ein was of course telling Spike that everyone's favorite hacker was within. But as Spike himself had said, he didn't know how to speak dog.

"Stupid Ein," Spike didn't bother to open the door. He went back to the common room.

"You find her?"

"Nope."

"YAP!"

Faye raised an eyebrow, "What's up with Ein?"

"YAP,YAP,YAP!"

"Dunno," Spike slouched back down on the couch. Ein clawed at his thin leg.

"I think he wants somethin'," Jet said, stating the obvious.

"YAP!" the corgi was beginning to get agitated. It was time for drastic measures. Ein took the blue fabric of Spike's pants in his mouth and began to pull.

"Cut it out Ein," he said, rising again.

"YAP!" Ein persisted.

"I get it okay?" Spike grumbled.

****

Ein led him strait back to his own door. Spike sighted and pressed the button, the door opened with a 'woosh'. Ein dashed in on his short legs, and Spike strided in after.

"Spots, Spots, Pokka Dots," came a weak voice from his bed. He flipped on the light.

"AHH!" Edward screamed, more at the sudden light than Spike, who she hadn't yet seen. She did see Ein however.

"Ein! How did you turn on the lights. Ein's a smart puppy!"

"Yap!" Ein looked at Spike. Ed followed his gaze.

"AHHHHHH!" she screamed. This time it was Spike's fault. She sat up quickly in Spike's bed and immediately lost her balance and fell out of his bed, a tangle of blankets and flapping limbs.

"Stupid kids," he muttered to himself, "Ed, what are you doing in here?"

A groan was his only reply as Radical Edward tried to get to her feet.

Spike Speagal was a man of instinct and impulse. There was a tiny voice at the back of his mind, and it was seldom wrong. It was this voice that allowed him to doge bullets, blows, Samurai swords, what have you, with only marginal error. It was this voice that told him this was no prank of the spry red-head. Something wasn't right.

"Edward?" He pulled at the blankets to aid her in her feeble struggle for freedom. When he pulled her free the meaning of 'Spots, Spots, Pokka Dots' became painfully evident.

Edward was covered from spiky head to bare toe is angry, painful looking welts.

"What the hell are those?"

Ed struggled to her feet and stood in front of him, her spotted arms outstretched, "Spots, Dots, Ed has Chicken Pox."

Spike watched her burning, orange eyes flutter close and she fell limp into his arms.

*****

TBC…

A/N: Uh yeah, sorry 'bout the hanging ending. My dad's making me get off, so yell at him ^.^ Uh…so like I said I just finished watching the Bebop series, and I loved it so much I figured I had to write a fic. 

Ed: Blah blah, more story!

Yuki: ^^; eh heh, sorry Edward. Dad's making me get off

Ed: Father person? Ed'll type it for you.

Yuki: Thanx Ed, I appreciate it I really do but…

Ed: OKAY! *giggles and runs off*

Yuki: Oh boy. Now I have to go catch her and bring her back. This might take a while please be patient. *bow* arigotou gozaimasu.


	3. Fever!

Thank you for sticking with me again. *bow* and thank you for the reviews. I realized just today that I spelled "Spiegel" wrong, so I am sorry for that. ^^;; tee hee. Woops.

Chapter 3: Fever!

"Spots, dots, Ed has Chicken Pox."

Spike watched her burning, orange eyes flutter close and she fell limp into his arms. Her usually tanned skin was pale and she trembled with fever.

"Stupid kid," Spike put out his cigarette, then gently wrapped her tiny body in the blanket from his bed.

He picked her up and almost tipped over when he overcompensated. She weighed nothing! He set her on his bed and stood looking at her splotched face. It never occurred to him that she would weigh so little. In her usually state of health, catching her, let alone getting her to stand still on a scale long enough to get her weight, was impossible.

"Lunkhead," Ed muttered in her sleep.

Spike rolled his eyes.

* * *

  


"Jet? Got anything for Chicken Pox?"

Jet frowned at him, "Sure, but why?"

"Ed's got 'em."

Jet sighed, "Give me a second, I gotta find it."

He rooted around in the cupboard and pulled out two plastic containers. One was a square and the other a circle.

"This should help with the fever and this is for the Pox… unless it's the other way around… umm…" the large man trailed off, looking slightly confused. Spike figured he'd save him the trouble of using up precious brain cells and do it himself. He took the containers from Jet's hands.

"I'll figure it out Jet, thanks."

"Oh Spike?"

He stopped, "Yeah?"

"You sure you wanna take care of her? I know she bugs you."

Spike put up a hand dismissing the idea and went back to his room with the medicine.

* * *

  


Ed's sleep had become fitful and she moaned pitifully. The blush was gone from her cheeks and Spike worried despite himself. He put out his cigarette and shook her slim shoulder gently.

"Wake up Edward."

The girl's eyes opened, but they were blank and washed out by the fever.

"Spi, Spi, eat your pie, Spi,Spi…Spi…"

The eyes closed again.

"Shit," Spike said to Ein.

"Yap!"

"I know. I'll have to get her fever down before I can give her the fever medicine." He weighed the two boxes in his hands, then threw the box heedlessly over his shoulder and it bounced off the wall.

"Shitty medicine," he grumbled and lit another cigarette, then went in search of a pan to fill with water.

* * *

  


AN: well there it is… I have more of course. Again you must give me a little time please. It shouldn't be more than a week. Speaking of which my birthday is on March 4th, anyone care to guess how old I'm going to be? I'll tell you if you get it right. Reviews are always welcome.

Ed (strapped to a chair): Review, review… *begins to bite duct tape*

Yuki: ED! STOP THAT!


	4. sleep

Author's Fore note: thanks for guessing about my age, 15's a little low though. And thank you for the balloons MalletofDoom. Keep guessing ^.^ -Yuki-

****

Chapter 4: Sleeping

Faye was in the kitchen, undoubtedly looking for something to eat. Spike couldn't really blame her too much. Jet's lack of edible material on the ship, made his normally wonderful and at the least sufferable cooking, unbearable. It's not that Spike didn't give him points for trying, but…well…yeah it was pretty much that he didn't give him points for trying. When Ein wouldn't eat it…that was just where he drew the line. He'd starve.

Faye wasn't like that though, she needed food, and she needed a lot of it. He wondered how she stayed so slim, but he didn't ask. He knew better than that.

"Hey Faye, I need a favor."

"Forget it Spike," she didn't even look up from her rummaging through the refrigerator.

"But I…"

"NO! I heard Ed's sick. If you wanna play nursemaid, that's your choice, but keep me out of it buster."

She marched past him, empty-handed, Spike noted with some satisfaction, and out of the kitchen.

"Bitch," he muttered.

"I heard that!" She called.

"Good for you!" he shouted back. He took the pan full of water and the wash-cloth and went back to his room.

***

Ed lay deathly still in Spike's bed, Ein at her side looking nervous. It was disconcerting to have her be that still, sick or not. He rolled up his sleeves and dipped the cloth in the pan of water.

"Spike," Edward moaned quietly, and he saw that she was looking at him out of fever-weary eyes.

"Yeah kid?"

She blinked slowly, as if it hurt and when she opened them again they were slits, "If I died, would Spike cry?"

It was the most sane thing he had ever heard her say and it scared him shitless, "You're not gonna die Ed."

She closed her eyes and there was a tiny smile on her face, "I know, but would Spike cry?"

He placed the wet rag on her sweaty forehead and leaned back in his chair. He lit a cigarette and studied the orb that Jet had given him.

"Edward would cry if Spike died," She muttered.

Spike closed his eyes against the words, "You don't know what you're saying Ed."

"Uh-huh," Ed groaned.

Spike felt tears prickle at his real eye. This was insane! Edward liked him? He had never shown her any real kindness. He understood her certainly, but he hadn't done anything to warrant any devotion from Ed.

"You're nice," she muttered.

"Shut up Edward."

The young girl started a horrible coughing fit, it was wet and dangerous sounding. Spike flinched at every heave of the small body.

***

A/N: I haven't brainstormed past this for the moment, but I hope this is okay for now.


	5. coughing

Chapter 5: Coughing

The young girl started a horrible coughing fit, it was wet and dangerous sounding. Spike flinched at every heave of the small body. He didn't really know what to do, but he thought…well…maybe…

He took her behind her slim shoulders and watched her cough into her spotty hands until she was weak, and the coughs came out as slight squeaks. The wash-cloth had fallen off her fevered forehead. He slapped her firmly on the back with the heal of his hand a couple of times to loosen up the phlegm. It apparently worked, because Edward gave one more huge hack and then, "Ewwww."

Spike had to agree, her hands were full of green sticky boogers.

"Just sit still, don't put your hands on anything. I'll get you a…"

It was too late, Edward had rubbed her hands on her shirt, leaving a green stain on the front.

"Ed…"

"What?"

"GROSS!"

"Where was I supposed to put it?"

"A TISSUE MAYBE! I told you not to. Are you totally a social retard (see A/N below) or what?"

"Sorry Spi."

"No you're not. Do you even have another shirt?"

"Uhh…let me think…no."

"I thought not." He went over to his closet and dug out one of his yellow shirts. He threw it at the girl, "Put this on."

"This on?" she repeated.

"Yap!" Ein said.

"Yeah, I'll go get you some toilet paper to use for a tissue okay? Just change and then chill out."

"Chill! Like a pill eating a drill. Heheheheee!" She giggled, but it wasn't really a happy giggle. It was more out of habit than anything else. She really was desperately ill, and Spike knew it.

"I mean it Ed! Try to sleep, I'll be right back."

Edward was had already stripped off the white Tee-shirt and was fiddling with the buttons on Spike's shirt. Ein followed him to the door. He pointed down at the mutt, "Watch her, okay Ein?"

"Woof!"

Spike nodded his thanks to the dog, then went to go fetch some tissues.

****

A/N: I apologize for the 'social retard' thing. I don't think it's an okay to say at all. But Spike is Spike. Please don't be offended. *bows* Gomen, and thank you


	6. Panic!

WARNING! This chapter is really intense. I apologize. I just need some scary stuff before the really funny stuff starts to happen. Thank you for reading. And thank you for all the very kind reviews! You are all so nice to me! *sniffle*

Chapter 6: Panic

When he came back Ed was coughing again, and she hadn't bothered to stay upright. She shivered with the fever, but at least the chicken pox hadn't started to itch yet. Spike handed her a small piece of toilet paper. She stopped coughing and stared at it with unfocused eyes.

"Cough into it Ed! What's wrong with you?"

There wasn't an answer.

"Yap! Yap,yap,yap!" Ein was in a panic.

Spike felt his heart jump into his throat. He sat next to Ed on the bed and turned her over, she was limp and her skin was an odd shade of grayish-blue.

"Spi…can't…breathe…" she gasped wetly. 

"Shit!" He sat her up and hit her back maybe a little harder than was necessary, "I need you to cough Ed! Common you stupid kid, breathe!"

She made a weak noise, and it wasn't really a healthy sound by any means. He wrapped the blankets around her, then picked her up and held her to his chest.

She looked up at him, her orange eyes wide with panic. It was an animalistic look, and Spike had never been so scared in his life. Radical Edward grasped at his blue shirt with her thin agile hands.

"Damn it Ed! Common! You can't die, it'll be on my head. I'm not gonna feel guilty about it."

Her eyes closed and she went limp in his arms. 

"Shit Ed!"

"Yap,yap,yap,yap!"

"Shut up Ein!"

He shot off on his powerful legs toward the hanger. "Hang on," he whispered.


	7. Recovery

Mallet…I will be 18! Good job 2nd guess. Ed is very impressed. *^.^* YAY! Ummm…Just out of curiosity, what is the Mallet of doom? Or don't I want to know?

****

Chapter 7: Recovery

Ed woke up along the way and struggled for breath in his arms as he ran. He knew that there was an emergency respirator right outside the hanger. He set Ed gently on the ground, her wild struggle for air slowing. He put the oxygen mast over mouth and nose, then he held his own breath.

"Common Ed," he whispered at her.

Nothing happened.

Spike ripped the mask of her face, pinched Ed's nose closed and tipped her neck back, then he forcibly blew two deep breaths into her lungs. She made a frightening noise deep in her throat and a ripple traveled up her body Spike held the toilet paper to her mouth and she let out three huge hacking coughs.

"Done?" he asked her

She nodded weakly and he slipped the respirator back over her face. She smiled at him gratefully, then closed her eyes and slept.

****

Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV opened her fiery eyes and she felt a lot better. Almost normal…whatever that meant for Edward. She wondered absently where Spike was. She didn't really feel like moving though, so she just stared at the ceiling and relaxed.

Then she heard breathing. It wasn't Ein, he was panting at the door. She looked to the side of the bed and there Spike lay, in an exhausted sleep. He was half-sitting in his chair, but his head lay in his arms on the bed right beside her stomach.

She didn't know that he had struggled with her fever for almost two days strait and was now simply too tired to wait for her to wake up. The terrible fever had broken during the night and he had simply collapsed on the chair and into a deep sleep.

Ed knew none of this, but it wouldn't have surprised her in the least. She patted Spike's wild hair with a hand, gently, almost reverently.

"Nice Spike," She murmured resolutely.

She had known it all along.

****

A/N: This is NOT the end. Now it starts getting fun! Cause now ed starts to itch! Hang on for the next chapter full of home remedies and other scary things.


	8. chapter 8

Chapter 8: Prelude

Yuki: Here it is…sorry it took so long, ed broke our computer

Ed: No Ed didn't, Ed made it better.

Yuki: Taking it apart for spare parts for "Tomato" is NOT making it better. I can't even play my cowboy bebop dvd's on it anymore.

Ed: :0 woops *grin*

Yuki: *mutters incoherently*

****

Spike didn't know immediately what had woken him out of his sound sleep. Ed was gone, but that was hardly a surprise.

He yawned and stretched his long arms over his head. It was then Spike realized what had woken him, a piercing scream tore the air.

It was Faye, Spike was sure, but he was too tired to care; that is until the irritable woman skidded to a halt outside his open door.

"SPIKE YOU IDIOT! YOU LET HER OUT?!"

He shrugged, "Sure, why not? It's not my responsibility."

"Faye Faye!" Ed jumped on her back and held on for dear life as Faye began jumping around, screaming and trying to shove Ed off.

"Get away from me you CREEPY GIRL!"

"Creepy sheepy, Bebop aripi!"

Spike repressed the urge to smile, "Well, I see her fever's gone."

"SPIKE YOU ASSHOLE!"

"I had nothin' to do with it," he stood up and calmly pushed past the struggling Faye.

"HELP ME!"

"Forget it."

"WHY NOT?"

Spike stopped and turned to her, an ebony eyebrow slightly elevated. "You wouldn't help me," he replied calmly.

"Come on Ed let's go."

Ed abandoned torturing Faye and scampered after Spike and jumped on his back like a pink, read haired, chicken poked monkey.

Faye screamed something unintelligible after him, he stepped aside and caught a white shoe as it flew passed his shoulder, no doubt intended for his head. He dropped it over his shoulder with out looking back.

"I hate you Spike!"

"Spi spi!"

"Shut up Ed," Faye called.

"Faye Faye, stay: play Faye Faye!"


End file.
